BIRD LIFE AT THE SHETLAND ISLANDS. 



To those resident South of the Tweed the bird life which 

 exists right up in the North of our little Island often excites 

 keen enthusiasm and a wish to go there, and, therefore, a feeling 

 of intense excitement and pleasure comes over one when he 

 finds himself duly packed and labelled for that home of Sea 

 Birds the Shetland Isles. 



Perhaps any individual even one of a very morose and 

 uninteresting temperament would look anxiously forward to such 

 a trip, but the Ornithologist who had never yet seen the Skuas, 

 Razorbills, Eider Ducks, Puffins, Terns, and other Sea birds 

 except a straggler now and then down South on migration in 

 their favourite breeding haunts and whose observations had 

 been made for the most part in the Southern and Midland 

 Counties looks upon such a journey as a fascinating and instruct- 

 ive one. 



We embarked from Aberdeen on the good Steamer "St. 

 Giles" of the Orkneys, making Lerwick our destination. On the 

 way up the passage occupying about sixteen hours several 

 Guillemots and Razorbills occasionally presented themselves, 

 but at the approach of the vessel they instantly dived, turning 

 almost a complete somersault before going down, the white 

 base of the tail being just discernible above the surface. 



Lerwick was reached in due time, and here the Gulls were 

 so tame that numbers of them perched like so many Guildhall 

 Pigeons on the roofs and chimneys, while others were swimming 

 round the landing stage, or floating in the harbour. 



Lerwick the Capital of the Island is about 230 miles from 

 Aberdeen, and it is interesting to note a few particulars about 

 this northerly station before we proceed further. It is more 

 than 200 years old, the houses are arranged in the most 

 hap-hazard manner, and the streets are flagged and extremely 

 narrow. The backs of many of the houses have steps leading 



